Extra Christmas Games

Once you’ve done the songs above, you can use the English in some games.

Christmas Ho Ho Ho:
Chant “Christmas, Christmas, ho, ho, ho!”, then everyone mimes ( and says ) one of the vocab items from CD4’s “Genki Christmas” song. Anyone who has the same gesture as the teacher is out and sits down.

It’s not for you!

Show a picture card (e.g. the Christmas Words from vol. 4 ) to a student. But if they answer they are out! The person next to them must answer. It sounds simple but for kids who are too used to flashcard games it’s hilarious! (P.S. Eye contact is the key!)

What’s in the stocking?

Pack a Christmas stocking with either real presents or minicards.
1. At one end of the room one child holds the stocking and asks “What would you like for Christmas?”
2. The other kids, at the other side of the room, shout out things they think might be in the stocking.
3. If one of the items they shout out is actually in the stocking, the first child fishes it out of the stocking, holds it up and says “OK!”
4. All the other kids chase after him/her!
5. The first person to touch the kid with the stocking gets the present and the stocking.
6. Repeat from step 1

Christmas Snowballs.
Ask the kids a Christmassy question ( e.g. CD6’s “What would you like for Christmas?”). The winner throws a wet tissue “snowball” at a snowman on the board. Each body part is worth points.

Christmas Clothes Race:
Set up some (100 yen) Santa outfits. Everyone asks “What’s he wearing?”. You shout out “boots” or “hat” or whatever. The kids rush to the other side of the room and put on the correct clothing.

Poisoned Presents

This again uses the Christmas Minicards or the “What would you like for Christmas?” mini cards. This time you need a couple of sets and laminate them with backings so you can’t see what they are when they are turned over. The kids turn one card over and say the word or phrase as they turn. But if it’s the “Poison Present” ( which you choose before you start), they have to run and touch the nearest wall otherwise they’ll fall down dead! It’s a great way to mix brains and running!

But you assign the kids as “Santa”, “Snowman” i.e. the words from the song.
Then you can tell a Christmas story, and the kids have to run when they hear their word.
e.g
One Christmas, Santa ( 1st kids run!) was going to the North Pole.

On the way he met a Snowman ( 2nd kids run!).
“Hello Santa” ( 1st kids run again) said the Snowman ( you get the idea!).
“Hello Snowman” said Santa.
And off they went to the North Pole.

On the way they met Rudolph.
Rudolph was a reindeer.
“Hello Rudolph” said Santa and the Snowman
“Hello” said the reindeer.
And off they went to the North Pole.

On the way the Snowman said
“I think we need a Christmas tree!”.
“Yes” they all said .
So they bought a big, big, Christmas tree.
And off they went to the North Pole.

On the way ….

Keep going and adding in new words until the kids are running like crazy. There isn’t much talking here, but it’s great listening practice and the kids really have fun!

More printables

Imagination Worksheets

A few more ideas …

“We Wish You a Merry Christmas”

This is an easy song to teach. First of all introduce the greetings “Merry Christmas” and “Happy New Year” , from there it is a simple step to go through the lyrics of the song.
“We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
And a Happy New Year”

Even first years can do very well!!
For older kids, add in the verse..
“Good tidings we bring, to you and your kin”
and repeat the chorus!

When I was an ALT, I took my music gear into school and my 5th years played all the instruments, sung and produced their own CD!

Christmas Cards

This is a very easy lesson plan. The kids simply design a Christmas card. You can even use it to introduce the spellings of “Merry Christmas” and their own names. Show them lots of different pictures beforehand (including photos of your own Christmas back home) and get them to draw one of the images they like! Also check out Aygo’s Talking Christmas Card Craft Corner!

Advent Calendars

Many children in the West have advent calendars, where they open a door each day to reveal a picture (or chocolate) and count down the days till Christmas! It also makes a good lesson plan!

1. Prepare a large (about A2 size) piece of card with 24 “doors” (about 5cm X5 cm) cut into it. Also have one bigger door for Christmas Day (Japanese kids usually don’t get presents, and even have to go to school on Christmas Day, so a special door is much appreciated!)

2. Prepare 24 smaller pieces of card that are the same size as the doors.

3. Give each child in the class one piece of smaller card. On this they must draw a Christmas picture.

4. The kids who finish early can then go on to design the bigger picture for Christmas Day or the even bigger design for the front of the calendar (i.e. the large A2 piece of paper with the doors in it )

5. Take another large (A2) piece of card and put it under the other card. Now sellotape around the edges so both pieces are held together. Open all the doors and in each one glue one of the students pictures.

6. Close the doors and number each one from 1 to 25.

7. Enjoy opening a different door each day until Christmas!

You might want to do steps 5 and 6 yourself so as to avoid any fights about who gets what days (and to make it a surprise to see whose picture they well get each day!) If there are more than 24 kids in the class then start the calendar in November!

This is a really good activity that gets all the kids involved!

Plus keep an eye on the blog for lots more Christmas ideas every December!

Merry Christmas!

Richard Graham

Hello, I'm Richard Graham.
And when I was a kid I found school to be sooooo boring...
So I transformed my way of teaching. I listened to what the kids were really wanting to say and taught it in ways they really wanted to learn.
The results were magical.
So I'm sharing it all with you now...